Watering with Cans

I have quite a few metal watering cans. Over many years, I have acquired different models, mostly second hand. They are decorative, but in fact most of these cans get used regularly, all the watering in the garden being done by hand. Over the years, I have come to appreciate how each one pours differently and is adapted to specific jobs, and how some are better designed than others.

 

The watering is done by hand, simply because it is quite handy. In the above picture, the rill that crosses the middle of the garden, is almost empty, but half of the year it is full of water, so you just need to dip your can in it when you need to water something. Besides, at each of the southern and northern ends of the garden is a large tank. One collects water from the house roof and the other collects water from the shed roof. When the rill or the tanks get low in dry periods, I can refill the tanks with water from the house well.

The watering can above was my first. It was a gift and is probably the only one that was made by a craftsman. Rather than galvanized metal like all the others, I think it is made out of a sheet of zinc. Its advantage is that the spout is very long and so you can reach quite a distance with it. It came without a rose (a rose is the sprinkler head at the end of the spout). However a Haws rose fits it, and I have one I use with this can to water fragile things like seedlings. Most of the time a use it without a rose to water directly on the roots of plants rather than on foliage.

This second one could be described as of workhorse of a can. It has a rather large rubber rose that produces a generous spray. It is not good for fragile seedlings but excellent for watering young plants. The rubber rose was cracked but had been repaired with duct tape when I bought it second-hand. The repair works well as I would not be able to find a replacement rose and, well-taped, it has survived many years. Another example of duct tape being a universal panacea!

This third one is I think a bit older (from the 1940s or 50s?). I use it when I need a lot of water quickly, examples being when planting a shrub or when wetting coir or peat moss in a wheelbarrow. It came to me without a rose. Although I have one that would fit, it is not efficient because it releases its water too slowly.

This fourth one is more attractive than useful because it has a screwed on rose that tends to get plugged easily. As long as the rose is fine it works well. However, when it gets plugged it is a hassle to unscrew it and try to clear the holes.

In my case, it is handy to water with cans, because water is readily available and not a lot of it is needed as most things are well mulched in the garden. Using mostly rain water has its advantages. The water is not as cold or as hard as water coming from the tap.

Writing this, I became aware of the numerous watering cans offered on ebay. I would never have thought there were so many different models! It seems that metal cans tend not to be standardized. You can see that some models were mass-produced but that many others must have been made on a rather small scale.